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ASiC-E format: what it is and how to sign an .asice container
ASiC-E (Associated Signature Container Extended) is the European container for signed documents: a single .asice file packs the documents and their electronic signatures. If ADOC is the Lithuanian national format used by public institutions, ASiC-E is its international counterpart for business documents.
What is ASiC-E?
It is a container standardized by ETSI (EN 319 162) and recognized under the eIDAS Regulation across the European Union. Technically, an .asice file is a ZIP archive that stores XAdES signatures alongside the documents. Estonian .asice/.bdoc archives use the same principle; you will encounter the format on Dokobit and other Baltic signing platforms.
When to choose it: when you sign with partners abroad, when one signed container needs to hold several files, or when the recipient is not a Lithuanian institution – then ASiC-E is more convenient than ADOC.
ADOC and ASiC-E – what is the difference?
| ADOC | ASiC-E | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Lithuanian specification (2009) | European standard (ETSI) |
| Who it is submitted to | Lithuanian public institutions | Businesses, international recipients |
| Several files inside | Yes | Yes |
| Legal force of the signature | Both can carry a qualified electronic signature (QES) under eIDAS | |
How to create and sign an ASiC-E?
- You open the Tvarka ASiC-E wizard and upload the files.
- The wizard builds the .asice container.
- You sign with a QES: Smart-ID, Mobile-ID, LT ID, a USB/eID card, or by tapping your ID card on your phone (NFC).
- You download the signed container or invite others to sign.
The wizard costs nothing – you pay only for a successful qualified signing according to the pricing. If you received an .asice container, Tvarka opens it and shows the content and the signatures.
You reach the wizard after signing in with your electronic signature – this way the document is signed by a person with a verified identity.